“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

During World War II, one of the most feared German Generals was Field Marshall Erwin Rommel. His success defeating his enemies in North Africa earned him the nickname “The Desert Fox”. In 1942, British Commander Bernard Montgomery was given the assignment of defeating Rommel and his renowned 7th Panzer Division. As Montgomery set about this task, he spent significant time studying an infantry-training manual written by Rommel. It was Montgomery’s knowledge of Rommel’s strategies that enabled him to predict Rommel’s moves during the battle and eventually defeat the Desert Fox and his 7th Panzer Division.

Christians today are also engaged in a form of warfare. This warfare involves the spiritual realm, and our ability to defeat the enemy can be improved if we understand his strategy. While our enemy has not written a book outlining that strategy, we do know that his overall purpose is to oppose God. By knowing and understanding God’s goals for our lives, we will gain insight into the strategy of the enemy who opposes God.

Scripture says that God desires that everyone come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). In addition, Jesus has given us the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19) that commands us to make disciples of all the nations. God wants us to bring others to repentance and make them disciples.

If these are activities that God desires, it makes sense that the enemy will do everything possible to oppose those activities. As physicians, we are often given opportunities to share our faith with others. In addition, our influence can be used powerfully to make disciples. Therefore, one strategy of the enemy may be to lull us into the complacency of living a “good life” and attending church, with essentially no other spiritual activity.

This will effectively prevent us from actively sharing our faith as we are given opportunity and using our gifts to make disciples. It will also prevent us from having a spiritual harvest in heaven. Instead, resist these temptations and discover the joy that comes from sharing your faith.

Prayer: Lord, help me resist the temptation to become complacent and instead reap the joy of a bountiful harvest!